We’re Saved: Dr. No Signs a Climate Agreement!

I still can’t get over the “Dr. No” attire of the APEC summit meeting, though it does fit Obama in a certain way. In any case, I’m enjoying the spectacle of Obama and his acolytes celebrating the piece of paper Obama has signed with the Chinese dictator assuring us climate peace in our time.

Nov 12 (Reuters) – The joint statement by the United States and China on climate change, issued on Wednesday, is more important for its political and diplomatic symbolism than any practical effect it might have in reducing emissions.

The statement reiterates policies China and the United States have been developing on their own and contains no new binding limits on greenhouse emissions.

Instead it is intended to “inject momentum into the global climate negotiations and inspire other countries to join in coming forward with ambitious actions as soon as possible” ahead of the next multilateral climate summit in Paris in 2015.

It is not clear what President Xi’s commitment means, but President Obama’s signature on the deal has no legal force. And it will be up to future Presidents and Congresses after he leaves office in January 2017 to decide whether to require the emissions reductions agreed to.